ROSE HALL, St James —
Impressive performances highlighted the inaugural One Love Music Festival put on by Tuff Gong International. Held at the Aqueduct from Friday night into Saturday morning, it would have made reggae icon Bob Marley proud.
Action kicked off on Thursday night with a charity gala on the lawns of the nearby Rose Hall Great House featuring Marcia Griffiths and Benjy Myaz.
Benji Myaz & Marcia Griffiths
But it was Marley’s grandson, Skip Marley, whose demeanour, appearance and vocals captured and replicated the persona of the ‘Gong’, who would have been 71 yesterday.
Son of Cedella Marley, he had the audience transfixed. He eased through Rastaman Vibration, Coming in From the Cold and Three Little Birds, from his grandfather’s catalog, as well as his original, Cry for Me.
Ky-Mani Marley
Ky-Mani Marley also delivered renditions of his father’s classics, as well as his smash hit In Love with a Rastaman and High Like Skyscraper.
However, it was the performances of Iba Mahr and Tessanne Chin that set the venue alight. The former connected with his audience the moment he struck the first note of Great is The King of All Kings. He revved up the tempo with Will I Wait in Vain, Mama Rosie, and others.
There were wild screams when he removed his coat and performed his blockbuster Diamond Sox. Patrons were also energized during Chin’s performance. Her powerful voice reverberated throughout the venue with One Step Closer, Messenger, Fire and Anything’s Possible.
Other noteworthy performances came from Nadine Sutherland, Ikaya, Teflon, No Madds, Jamiel, Kranium, and Nico and Vinz.
Akon and Beenie Man in action!
A drizzle triggered an exodus at the start of Akon’s performance but that did not prevent him from dropping Right Now, Sorry, Blame it on Me, Konvicted, Don’t Matter and Trouble Nobody. He was joined on stage by Beenie Man.
The two-day festival is a fund-raising event to celebrate Marley’s life and legacy by supporting projects through the Bob Marley Foundation, in partnership with the Rose Town Foundation and Sandals Foundation.
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